Flashlight



'June 23, 1942. Q, T, WOOD. 2,287,505'

FLASHLIGHT Filed April 12, 1940 2 sheets-sheet -1 FIGA. y IZ.

INV EN TOR. 00F/LE 7.' W00@ ATTORNEYS Patented June 23, 1942 msnmcnr orviue dawned. clinton, Mm, assigner to Bieke Manufacturing Corporation,

Clinton, Mass., a

corporation of Massachusetts f Application April 1z,194o,seriei No. 329,236

s claimt.r (ci. 24o-10.66)

This invention relates to electric flashlights and hand lanterns of the kind in which a removv able battery of dry cells is connected and disconnected at will to an incandescent lamp from which the light is reflected in a given direction. f

An electric hand lantern or flashlight has heretofore been proposed in which the light from the lamp may be selectively thrown as a beam or spotlight, that is, concentrated onone spot or diffused over a wider area. This has been accomplished, in some situations, by a sleeve comprised, say, of frosted glass which is movable from a position between or surrounding, as the case may be, a lamp with respect to a reflector whereby the light rays are diffused to a position in which the light rays are not intercepted by the screen whereby the light rays are directed by the reflector as a beam.`

It has also been proposed to so mount a lamp within a reflector that the `filament of' the lamp, which, of course, is the light source, is definitely fixed against displacement at'the focus of'the reflector.

The present invention has for its object to selectively concentrate or diffuse the light from a source of illumination which is fixed with respect to the focus of the reflector.

It is also, an object of the invention to provide means for supporting the diffusing screen in a flashlight or hand lantern. In carrying this asi pect of the invention into effect, the diffusing screen is carried with and conveniently secured to the vlens of the flashlight or hand lantern and the lens is made adjustable with respect to the fixed reflector and lamp whereby the screen may be moved between alight diffusing position and a position in which the light rays are not intercepted by the scre'en. y

The invention also seeks adjustment means for the lens carrying instrumentalfties whereby actuation of the translucent shield may be effected.

Another object of the invention is a hand lantern or flashlight which is practical from the standpoint of ease and cheapness of' manufacture and durability and effectiveness in use.

'I'hese and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings'illustrating one embodiment by which the inventionmay be realized and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a flashlight to which the invention may be applied;

on-l a diameter o'i the head structure shown in Figure l to show details of construction;

' Figure 3 is a view similarl to Figure r2 but show- `ingfa modified'form of lens supporting structure;

Figure 4 is a viewr showing still another modification of the invention; and A Figure 5 is a view of the structure shown in Figure 4 but with the parts in light diffusing position.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and a, the flashlight or hand lantern of this modification generally comprises a cylindrical casing 8 of any desired configuration provided with a circuit closer 9 of any convenient kind. The casing 8, at the upper end, is illustrated as' increasing progressively in diameter, as at I I, to serve as an integral hood within which is disposed the reflector and lamp socket support shown, in this instance, of' a type whereby the filament I3 of the lamp, which is the light'source, is fixed at the focus It of the reflector I5. In the axis of1 reflector I5 there is formed an aperture defined by the downwardly directedI cylindrical flange I'I. Secured to the reflector within the passage formed by the annular flange Il is a generally tubular female membery I9 provided with a constricted portion 2i secured to the annular'ange Il and defining an opening o f a diameter to permit the passage of'the lamp bulb 23. The constricted portion 2I also serves as a stop for a conductive positioning flange 25 on the lamp base, which flange 25 is urged upwardly as by a spring 21 mounted conveniently, say, on a contact carrying male member29 threaded into the female member I9. This contact carrying member carries a contact 3| adapted to make electrical connection with the central terminal I2 of the battery 38 and electrically connects this central terminal I2 with the central terminal 20 of the lamp through the conductive spring 22 and conductive washer 24. 'I'he flange 25 serves as the other terminal of the lamp which is electrically connected with the other terminal of the battery, as'illustrated, through the reflector I5 and a switch contact member 28 of any known or desired type movable by means of the circuit closer actuating means 9 into and out of electrical connection with either ,the reflector I5 or some part in electrical connection therewith. 'I'he structure thus described is, in principle, shown, described and claimed in copending application Serial No. 180,949 filed December 21, 1937, but any reflector, lampI and lamp socket support may Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken '55 be used in lieu thereof. l

Tne reflector I is provided with an outwardly directed lip I5 which is supported on the end of the threaded portion illustrated, the reflector taken by the invention, insulated from the casing by means of an insulatory sleevel 25 and is held in position by the lip 38 of reflector retaining member 33. This member 33, in the illustrated embodiment, carries fixed thereon a cylindrical member 32 which serves as a fixed member on which the lens 41 is reciprocated. As shown, the lens 41 is carried on a reciprocating leus supporting member 35 generally cylindrical in lip I3 is, in this form conformation and having its lowermost edge in' wardly turned, as at 31, to limit upward movement, as viewed in Figure 2, to prevent the lens carrying member from moving off the end of the casing 3, II.

The lens carrying member 35 is conveniently provided, on its inner side, with an outwardly pressed L-shaped groove forming an L-shaped bead 33, 4I on the portion 35 receiving a relatively stationary boss or lug 43 struck out or otherwise formed on or carried by the reflector retaining member 32, 33 whereby member 35 carrying this L-shaped groove 33,- 4I' is positioned.

Beyond the end of the reflector, the lens carrier 35 is formed in any convenient manner with threads 45 and the end of the reciprocating threaded portion 45 receives a disc-like sheet of transparent material resting thereon and referred to herein as the lens 41. The lens 41 is retained on the end of the threaded portion 45 by a lens ring orbezel 49 comprised of the inturned flange or lip 5I overlying the lens 41 and a threaded cylindrical portion 48 threaded on the threaded portion 45 of lens carrier 35. Thus by means of the bayonet slot groove 33, 4I, the lens 41 may be moved toward or away from the lamp 23 and in its advanced or more remote position held by the engagement of the lug 43 within the transverse portion 4I of the groove.

Diffusion of the light emanating from the lamp 23 is effected b'y means of cylindrical diffusing screen 50 which is desirably of translucent material, such as, for instance, frosted glass which is cemented or otherwise united with or formed on the lower surface of the lens 41, as at 52, with its axis substantially coinciding with the axis of the flashlight and desirably passing through the focus I4 of the reflector I5. This translucent cylindrical member 50 is of an internal diameter to telescope over the lamp 23 and enclose the same when the lens is moved to its innermost position or position nearest the reflector. In this position, las will be understood, light from the lamp filament I3 passes through the translucent cylinder 50 before it reaches the reflector I5 and is, therefore, diffused so that the light reected through the lens 41' is a diffused light.

On the other hand, when the lens 41 is in its protracted position, as shown in Figure 2, light rays unobstructed by the translucent screen 50 fall directlyupon the reflector I5 and are directed through the lens 41 in a direction parallel to ther axis of the flashlight and as a beam of light which also includes the light rays within cylinder 50 passing in an axial direction directly from the filament through lens 41.

Figure 3 illustrates a modied form of theln- 30 of the casing 3, II. As'

vention in which the lamp 23, reflector I5 and threaded reflector retaining end-33 are substantially the same as that shown in Figure 2 andA acentos like reference characters are afxed to corresponding parts. In this modification, however, the reciprocating member corresponding to the member 35 of Figure 2 comprises a sleeve 54 also, if desired, having a bayonet slot Joint controlling connection with the reflector retaining member 33 but having an outwardly pressed bead 55 and an inturned lip 51 at its upper end. A, transparent end closure member 53, which is generally of inverted dish shape, rests on the lip 51. Member 53 may be made ofany synthetic resinoid or equivalent material, as may also the lens 41, but is herein referred to, generally, for identification as the lens 53.

The lens 53 is held on the cylindrical member 54 by means of a bezel 55 threaded, as at 5|, to engage the threads 53 on the cylindrical member 54 and having an inturned end 35 to engage the bevelled surface 53 of the lens 53 and retain it in position. Inward movement of the bezel is limited by rib 55.

A diffusing sleeve 61, similar to the diffusing sleeve 50 of Figure 2, is integral with or secured to the lens 53 in exactly the same manner as that shown in Figure 2 and for the same purpose,l

the only difference in the diusing member 51 beingthat its length may have to be somewhat greater owing to the dimensions of the structure here contemplated.

The structure shown in Figure 2 may be readily disassembled by unscrewing the reflector retaining member 32, 33 from the threaded end 30 of the casing. In its removal, this member 32, 33 will carry with it the 'reciprocating member 35 by reason of the pin and slot connection 33, 4l and thus free the reflector and lamp assembly and permit it to be lifted oil the end of the casing as a unit. As will be obvious, the lens 41 may be readily removed by unscrewing the bezel 43.` In the same manner, reciprocating member 54 of the modification of Figure 3 may be readily removed to expose reflector I5 by unscrewing the lens retaining member 33 which will carry with it the reciprocating member 54.

In the modification of Figures 4 and 5, wherein spending parts, the casing 8 is illustrated as formed with an enlarged portion II terminating in a threaded cylindrical end portion 30. The reflector I5 and with it, of course, the lamp socket assembly indicated in these figures only by the reference character I3 is' supported on the threaded end 30, as before, by the suitably insulated lip I5 and there retained by the lens retaining member 33.

A reciprocating hood 10 whereof its innermost end 12 is of a diameter .to receive and slide on the casing 3 and whereof its end 14, of larger diameter, is sufficient to receive and freely slide on the lens retaining member 33, is formed near its outerl end with a circumferential rib 15 dening the outer threaded end 18. A lens, conveniently similar to the lens 53, Figure 3, is supported on the end of the threaded portion 15 and is retained in'position by a bezel similar to the bezel 60 of the Figure 3 modification and to-which the like reference character is afilxed and which retains the lens 53 in position by the inturned lip portion 55 of the bezel.

In Figure 5 the light diffusing screen 51 is shown in operative position, that is, with the hood 15 moved downwardly on the casing toward the lower end thereof. In this position, the sleeve 51 is interposed between the lamp and the 'reflector I5 whereby a diffused light is emitted the reflector in position, a cylindrical member I through the lens 59. In Figure 4, reciprocating hood 'l0 has been drawn outwardly to its extreme position in which the diffusing'screen 61 is removed from a position where it 4will intercept light from the lamp to the reflector and which will permit undisturbed light rays to pass through the lens both directly in an axially diy rection Within the cylinder 61 and by reflection 8 to expose the lens retainer 33 which can then be unscrewed to permit the removal of the reflector.

A light diiusing structure is thus provided consisting of relatively few operating parts and these are similar'to the parts normally found in the ordinary flashlight or hand lantern. It is as equally effective as the more complicated diusing devices of the prior art, but simpler and cheaper to fabricate and assemble and is manipulated with the same degree of facility.

Various modifications Vwill occur to those skilled in the art in the composition, configuration and disposition of the component elements going to make up the invention as a whole as well as in the selection and combination of parts for specific purposes and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the annexed drawings except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a flashlight, the combination, with a lamp, a casing and a reflector, of a lens, a tubular diffusing screen carried thereby, means mounting the lens on the casing and Ameans to reciprocate the lens mounting means with respect to the casing between a first position and a second position to cause the diifusing screen to telescope over the lamp in one position of the lens and intercept the light rays passing from the lamp to the reflector and to expose the source of lightto the reflector in the other position.

2. In a flashlight, in combination, a casing portion, a reector carried by the casing portion, a lamp, a sleeve reciprocating on the casing portion, a lens carried by the sleeve, and a tubular diffusing screen carried by the sleeve and adapted to telescope over the lamp in one position of the reciprocating sleeve to diiluse the light falling on the reflector from the lamp and to expose having a threaded end, a reflector carried by said nd of the casing, a lamp, a threaded cylindrical member threaded on the threaded end of the casing and formed with a flange to retain o0 carried by the reflector retaining member and provided with a lug, a lens supporting member reciprocable on the cylindrical member provided with the lug and formed with a bayonet slot to receive the lug, a lens carried with the lens supporting member, means to removably secure the lens to the lens supporting member and a cylindrical diffusing screen carried by the lens and adapted to telescope over the lamp.

4. In a flashlight, in combination, a lamp, a casing having a threaded end, a reflector carried by said end of the casing. a cylindrical member carrying threads and threaded on the threaded end of the casing and formed with a lip to retain the reflector in position, a lens supporting member reciprocable on the cylindrical member, means to limit movement of the lens supporting member with respect to the lreflector retaining member, a lens carried with the lens supporting member and a cylindrical diffusing screen carried by the lens and adapted to telescope over the lamp in one position of the lens supporting member and to expose the source of light to the reflector in the other position.

5. In a flashlight, in combination, a casing, a lamp, a reflector carried by said casing, means to retain the reflector on the casing, a lens sup porting hood-like sleeve member formed with a portion of restricted diameter, means to support said member to reciprocate between a first position and a second position on the casing, said casing having an outwardly offset portion to limit movement of the hoodlike sleeve at one of said positions, a lens carried with the hood-like member, means to removably secure the lens to the hood-like member and a cylindrical diifusing screen carried by the lens and adapted to telescope over the lamp in one position of the hoodlike sleeve to diiuse the light falling on the reflector from the lamp and to .expose the source of light to the reflector in the other position.

6. In a flashlight, in combination, a lamp, `a casing having a threaded end of increased diameter, a reilector carried by said end of the' casing, a threaded member threaded on the threaded end of the casing and formed with a lip to retain 4the reflector in position, a lens supporting hood-like sleeve member having a restricted portion slidable on the casing and a portion of increased diameter reciprocable over the threaded end, said threaded casing end limitingl movement of the lens supporting member with respect to the reflector retaining member. a lens carried with the lens supporting member and a cylindrical diffusing screen carried by the lens and adapted to telescope over the lamp upon reciprocation of the hood-like sleeve to one position.

ORVlLLE T. WOOD. 

